Bruce's Platform

Bruce Perens wrote at
http://www.spi-inc.org/secretary/votes/vote5/nominations/BrucePerens.txt:

> I know of few people who do as much for Free Software as I. You can see

I could name hundreds that do more, and that's just people that I know
of that post on debian-devel. All I've seen you do lately is stir up
flamewars. Frankly, we don't need big egos around that loudly
proclaim "few people do as much for Free Software". We need people
that are willing to pitch in and do more than is expected of them.

We need people that have a real passion to make SPI come alive.

Some of them are running in this election, which is absolutely GREAT.

We don't even need people that have done lots for Free Software. We
need people that are dedicated to SPI and its cause.

I've bit my tongue about you for a few years now, out of respect for a
fellow candidate for the board, a fellow member of it, and out of a
need to be a force for unity and progress as president.

I am not running for re-election this year, so I'll be off the board.
I have no more need to be overly diplomatic about this.

I was hoping you would not be running again, so we could be rid of
this problem without having to drag these things up.

I am still a contributing member to SPI, though, and I WILL be
voting. You will not get my vote.

> that on my resume at http://perens.com/Bio.html . Richard Stallman does
> more, indeed he dedicates his entire life to it to the exclusion of all
> else. For that we should honor him. I am a husband and the parent of a
> wonderful six-year-old, and that's mission #1. Hopefully you are
> satisfied with Free Software being #2.

I would be happier if you would actually show up for board meetings.
You were at only 4 meetings in the last year. That's 29% attendance,
and you missed enough that the Board would have been within its rights
to expel you under the Board Meeting Attendance Policy.

I would also dispute the assertion that most of the real business at
SPI is on a mailing list. Preparations, perhaps, but each month's
board meeting by far accomplishes more than the past month's
discussions in e-mail. But how would you know?

Your participation in important email discussions was also minimal.
Your offers to pitch in and volunteer to spend time to help with
problems were, well, nonexistant.

When was the last time the SPI board approved a resolution in email?
It's been *ages*.

> or at a meeting on Free Software community business. As most of the real
> business of SPI is on a mailing list, that's not been too bad. The

Well, your terrible attitude about attendance has contributed to us
missing quorum on more than one occasion. You didn't even bother to
send regrets except for *one* meeting in the past year. That's right,
you missed NINE meetings without even telling anyone. Others
took time out of their evenings, or days at work, to be there, but you
couldn't even be bothered to tell us that we needn't bother because
you wouldn't be there.

I think that the era of do-nothings on the SPI board ought to be long
over. You are all air and no do. You do the absolute minimum that
you have to in order to stay on the board. I get the feeling that you
are doing this just to be able to put it on your resume.

Heck, two people that AREN'T EVEN ON THE BOARD were at more meetings
than you.

And when you do get involved, it's usually to make misleading comments
to outsiders.

> hardest part of SPI is the treasurer's job, and that's not one I'm
> well-suited for. I am, however, encouraged by the process in moving much
> of this work to paid professionals.

I am heartened that you are no longer trying to make SPI move all of
this to your own personal assistant.

You do not get a free ride at this organization because of your
history with it. (Which, those who were around back then, will recall
was not entirely positive either.)

-- John